Pop/Rock

Rock & Roll is often used as a generic term, but its sound is rarely predictable.
From the outset, when the early rockers merged country and blues, rock has been defined by its energy,
rebellion and catchy hooks, but as the genre aged, it began to shed those very characteristics,
placing equal emphasis on craftmanship and pushing the boundaries of the music. And that's only natural
for a genre that began its life as a fusion of styles.

Pop/Rock has been described as an "upbeat variety of rock music represented by artists such
as Elton John, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, Chicago and Peter Frampton."
Critic Philip Auslander argues that the distinction between pop and rock is more pronounced in the US than in the
UK.
He claims in the US, pop has roots in white crooners such as Perry Como, whereas rock is rooted in
African-American-influenced forms such as rock and roll.
Auslander points out that the concept of pop rock, which blends pop and rock is at odds with the typical conception
of pop and rock as opposites.
Auslander and several other scholars such as Simon Frith and Grossberg argue that pop music is often depicted as an
inauthentic, cynical, "slickly commercial" and formulaic form of entertainment.
In contrast, rock music is often heralded as an authentic, sincere, and anti-commercial form of music, which
emphasizes songwriting by the singers and bands, instrumental virtuosity, and a "real connection with the audience".